Air-lock for caissons.



No. 810,298. I PATBNTED JAN. 16, 1906.

W. McILVRID.

AIR LOOK FOR CAISSONS.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 22, 1905.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM MOILVRID, OF JERSEY CITY, NEW J ERSEY, ASSIGNOR TO THE JERSEY, ACORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

AIR-LOCK FOR CAISSONS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 16, 1906.

Application filed June 22, 1905. Serial No. 266.488.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, WILLIAM MoILvRm, of Jersey City, in the county ofHudson and l State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Air-Locks for Caissons and I do hereby declare thefollowing to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention,such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertainsvtomake and use the same.

The object of this invention is to provide an im roved air-lock forcaissons, having specia reference to the means for opening and closingthe lock to permit of removing and replacing the bucket.

As heretofore designed air locks have usually been provided with doorsat their upper and lower ends. These have either been of the two-partdownwardly-swinging type,'or means have been employed for sliding thedoors horizontally, or one portion of the cylinder end has beenstationary and the other movable. In the use of all of these forms whenmanually operated it is necessary for the attendant to operate the doorsfrom an inconvenient position at the top or upper end of the look. Whenthe bushing through which the cable passes is formed by the door ordoors, whether swinging or sliding, there is a pronounced tendency toleakage or the closing of the door or doors causes a binding upon t 1erope and consequent difficulty 'in raising or lowering the bucket. Whendownwardly-swinging doors are employed, the bucket must necessarily beof imited capacity, since its size must allow the doors to swing downabove it while it is within the cylinder. By my invention thesedifficulties are overcome.

Broadly stated, I provide a door or doors extending longitudinally ofthe look, at the side thereof, which may terminate within or becoextensive with the height of the cylinder.

The, invention will be hereinafter fully set i forth, and particularlypointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is l a side elevation, partly insection. Fig. 2 is an end view. Fig. 3 is a slight modification. Fig. 4is a detail.

Referring to the drawings, 1 des gnates the casing or cylinder of anair-lock, and 2 l a single swinging door extending entirely across thelower end, such door being suitably pivoted and counterbalanced. Thecasing at its upper end is partially closed by a fixed part 3, whichcomprises a plate 4, the exterior thereof presenting in plan view a Ushape, the edge of such plate being secured to an angle-iron 5, rivetedto the casing. The central curved portion of the part 3 at its edge isrecessed to accommodate a sleeve or bushing 6 on the hoisting-cable Thelongitudinal side members of the fixed part 3 are beveled on their undersides 7 from their outer ends inwardly toward the axial center of thelock. (See Fig. 4.)

8 is the door for covering the inlet and outlet opening extending thefull length of the lock and covering that portion of the top over whichthe stationary part 3 does not extend. As shown, this door is suitablypiv oted at 9 to the casing and is formed at its upper end with a ledge10, having its free edge curved to correspond to the curved edge of part3. The ledge 10 works beneath the longitudinal sides of the part 3, sothat in closing the door the ledge moves in tight frictional contactwith the beveled faces 7 and its vertex binds A perfectly tight joint isthus rovided, and to further preclude the possibi ity of leakage arubber gasket 12 is attached to the edges of the door.

At 13 I have indicated appropriate means for locking the door. Anypreferred means may be employed, however, such as pistons operated byair-pressure, as well known in the art.

In practice the bucket may be nearly the full length of the lock, sinceno space is sacrificed on account of the door. Once the bucket is raisedinto the lock and. the lower door 2 is closed and pressure relieved fromthe inclosure, as customary, the door is swung open, carryin with it theledge 10, which uncovers near ly one-half of the top. Thereupon thebucket may be swung laterally and outwardly or upwardly, the bushing 6being carried on the cable. It will be seen that a bucket of maximumcapacity may be employed and that as soon as it is returned to the lockand the bushing placed in position the closing of the door will not onlycover the side opening of the look, but will against the bushing 6.

also close the top thereof, the fit of the ledge beneath the stationarypart 3 preventing any possible leakage.

The invention is capable of embodiment in various forms. For instance,as shown in Fig. 3, two doors 14 may be employed to cover fully one-halfthe casing, so as to allow for an increased opening in the casing. Thesedoors are mounted to slide circumferentially of the casing on a rail 15,at the top thereof. In this form the casing is truly circular, so thatthe doors of corresponding formation may be moved axially thereof inopposite directions. The doors are provided at their meeting edges withlooking devices 16. In practice the two doors are moved apart until theytelescope one half of the casing, leaving the other half entirely open;This is advantageous where an opening of maximum capacity is desired.

It is apparent that in the preferred form of I embodiment illustrated inFigs. 1 and 2 the single door may constitute one-half of the casing.

From what has been said it will be seen that my invention provides meanswhereby the bucket may be of size nearly equal to that of the lock-casinas there are no inwardly-moving parts for which space must be allowed.The bushing is not interfered with or subjected to wear and will retainthe cable securely when the lock is closed.

It will be understood that suitable means is to be employed forequalizing the air-pressure in the lock-casing; but as this may be donein any preferred way I have not made specific mention thereof.

I claim as my invention- 1. In an air-lock for caissons, a casing havinga stationary top portion extending partially over the upper end thereof,said casing aving an opening in its side extending len thwise thereof topermit of removing and rep acing the bucket, and means for simultaneously closing said opening and that part I of the top of the casingnot covered by said stationary portion.

2: In an air-lock for caissons, a casing having a lower door, astationary top portion extending partially over the upper end of saidcasing, a bushing for the hoisting-cable designed to be accommodated bythe edge of said top portion in line with the center of the openingclosed by said lower door, said casing having an opening in its sideextending lengthwise thereof, and means for simultaneously closing saidopening and that part of the top of the casing not covered by saidstationary portion.

3. In an air-lock for caissons, a casing having an opening at its sideextending lengthwise thereof, a door for closing said opening, and meansfor holding a hoisting-cable in fixed relation to said casing when saiddoor is closed and for releasing the same when said door is opened topermit the bucket and cable to be removed through said opening.

4. In an air-lock for caissons, a casing, a fixed closure partiallycovering the upper end of said casing, said casing having an openingextending lengthwise thereof at its side, and a door for said openinghaving a closure at its upper end for cooperating with the fixed closureat the upper end of the casing.

5. In an air-lock for caissons, a casing having a stationary top portionextending partially over the upper end thereof, said top having its freeedgebeveled, said casing having an opening at its side, and a door forsaid opening having a ledge at its upper end for cooperating with thestationary to portion of said casing to form a complete clhsure for theupper end thereof, the edge of said ledge being designed to contact withthe beveled edge of said top.

6. In an air-lock for caissons, the combination with the casing havingan opening in its lower end, means for closing said opening, astationary top portion extending partially over the upper end of saidcasing, a bushing removably accommodated by said top in line with thecenter of said lower opening, said top having portions of its inner facebeveled, said casing being open throughout its side and at the part ofits upper end not covered by said top, of a door pivotally mounted uponsaid casing and forming a closure for said side and provided withlooking devices, said door having a ledge forming a closure for theupper end of the casing and designed to be accommodated beneath thebeveled portions of said top.

In testimony whereof I have signed this specification in the presence oftwo subscribing witnesses.

WILLIAM McILVRID.

Witnesses:

JAMES K. MURPHY, LANSING P. WOOD.

